Beet harvester



c. w. WALZ ETAL Nov. 7, 1950 BEE? HARVESTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov.9, 1945 FIG. I

a 1 0 s 1 e @w IN VEN TORS CLAUDE W. WALZ HOWARD F. CLAUSEN A RNE YS.

Nov. 7, 1950 c. w. .WALZ EI'AL 2,528,806

* BEET HARVESTER Filed NOV. 9, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS CLAUDE W.WALZ HOWARD F. CLAUSEN BY A / A RNEYS.

Nov. 7, 1950 c. w. WALZ ETAL 2,528,805

3m HARVESTER Filed Nov. 9, 1945 s Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS CLIBUDE w.WALZ Nov. 7, 1950 c. w. WALZ ETAL BEET HARVESTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledNov. 9, 1945 INVENTORS BY 5 f/,'/

m & ml H mm I 1., C U .F I w m E DA .UW MO 0 Nov. 7, 1950 c. w. WALZETAL 2,528,806

.sm amvssma Filed Nov. 9, 1945 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 7

INVEN TORS CLAUDE W. WALZ HOWARD ECLAUSEN I I y I z ATTNEYS.

Patented Nov. '7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FEET HARVE'.S'IERClaude Walz and fioward Clausen, Rock Island, 111., assignors to Deere &Company, Mo line, 111., acorporation of Illinois Application November 9,1945,8e'rial No. 627,683

lit-Claims. l

The present invention relates generally to 'har vesting machines andmore particularly to harves'ters for root crops and the like, especiallysugar beets.

The object and general nature of this invention is the provision of aroot crop harvester in which provision is made to free the crop rootsfrom the ground without bringing up objectionable quantities of soil.More particularly, it is a feature of this invention to provide aharvester in which substantially no clods areformed when pullin thebeets or other crop, especially clods of a size similar to a beet andwhich under certain conditions tend to pass through the machine with thebeets.

A further and importantfeature of the present invention is the provisionof new and .improved ground penetrating crop engaging and lifting meanswhich is effective to raise the beets or other crop higher than ordinarymachines but without lifting excessive quantities .of soil with thecrop. More specifically, iit'is' an important feature of this inventionto provide substantially verticall spacedpairs of pulling members, thevertical spacing between the upper and lower pairs permitting a relativefiow'p'f soil therebetween so as to secure an effective crop-liftingaction but without ra'isingclods and the like. An additional feature ofthis invention is the provision of upper and lower points or pullermembers arranged so that the upper members may operate quite close tothe ground surface and serve a dual function-namely, holding the soildown while forcing the beets or other crop upwardly.

Another important feature of the present invention is the provision ofcrop engagin means in the form of horizontal bars or the like movableabout a generally horizontal axis adjacent the upper pair of liftingmembers, which bars serve not only to break up any clods or the like butalso to impart an additional raising action to the beets or other cropengaged thereby. In one form of this invention the auxiliary liftingbars are arranged in the form of ahorizontally disposed rotatable cageat eachside of the-centralplane of the device, each rotatable memberbeing mounted for laterally inward and outward movement and also formovement about a vermay engage two beets simultaneously. 7.

In another form of the invention a plurality of generally horizontallydisposed bars are connected tog-etherto form a pair of verticallyarranged endless chains, with the lower bars of each chain arranged tomove about a generally horizontal axis adjacent the upper liftingmembers, and further, the endless chains are arranged to operate on acurve so as to impart not only an upward movement to the beets or othercrop :but also a movement in the longi tudinal direction, rearwardly,for example. Still further, the two auxiliary lifting mechanisms justreferred to are arranged to impart a somewhat greater velocity to thelarger beets than to the smaller beets s0 that'during the forwardmovement of the harvester, whereby there is no appreciabletendency forthe larger beets to be overturned forwardly :before they are raised orlifted out'of the lground.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will 'beapparent to those skilled in the art after a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in con junction with theaccompanying drawings in which the'preferred forms of this inventionhave been illustrated.

Referring now to the drawings:

Figure l is :a perspective View of the lifting mechanism of a beetharvester in which 'the principles of the present invention have beenincorporated, the form of the invention shown in Figure l "incorporatinga pair of laterally shiftable and oscillatable kicker wheels; 7

Figures 2 and '3 are'enlarged fragmentary per spective views showing inparticular the relation between the lower point or lifting members, theupper pair of lifting members and the rotatable auxiliary liftingdevices, Figure 2 being a view taken generally from the side of thelifting unit while Figure 3 is a view taken approximately from thefront;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a portion of theoscillatable mounting supports for the rotatable auxiliary liftingelements;

Figure 5 is a perspective View showing a modified form ofliftingmech'anism; and

. Figure 6 is a perspective viewlshowin another modified form; and

.Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentar perspective view, similar to'Figure-2, showing a .modi

fied form of the present invention in which means is provided forpreventing the beets from being -.0verturned forwardly during theprogress of the machine alonga row of beets.

, suitable manner.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures I-4, the frame of theharvester, which is shown as particularly designed for harvesting sugarbeets, is indicated by the reference numeral I and comprises a pluralityof generally longitudinally disposed frame bars 2 connected together byone or more cross bars 3 bolted thereto, as at 4. Each of the frame bars2 is provided with a depending bracket 6, preferably secured to theframe I by the above mentioned bolts 4, and each bracket 6 is providedwith a pair of sleeves I and 8, preferably welded thereto, each bracket6 being tapped to receive a pair of set screws 9, one for each of thesleeves I and 8. Each of the brackets 6 serves as means for connecting alifting member standard I l to the frame. Each standard II has avertically disposed section I2.

that is disposed in position in the bushings 1 and 8, being held thereinby tightening the set screws 9. Each standard I I also includes arearwardly directed portion 13 which is flattened, as at I4, andapertured to receive bolts or other securing means by which a bracketsection I of an upper pullerpoint member I6 is connected to the standardI I. Each lifting member or puller point member I 6 comprises a forwardsection I! which is disposed in a generally vertical position and has aforwardly and upwardly facing edge I8. Each member I6 also includes arear rotatable section indicated in its entirety by the referencenumeral 26. The rear rotatable section 20 comprises a polygonal,preferably square, part 2i having a forward spindle portion which isrotatably mounted in a journal 22 that is fixed, as by welding, to therear portion of the forward puller point member section 11. Each pullerpoint member I6 is constructed as just described, and theforward fixedsections I! are disposed in upwardly diverging planes, as best shown inFigure 3. The "sections H are also arranged in rearwardly convergingrelation and are dimensioned and angled so as to exert an upward forceon the beets or other crops. The

rotatable portions 26 of the two upper lifting members I6 are driven byany suitable means, such as a pair of generally.longitudinally exsitionand faces generally upwardly and forwardly. The space between the lowerblades 44 and the upper puller members I6 is indicated in Figure 2 byreference character s, it being noted also from this figure that, as tothe upper puller members I6, the sections form rear rotatable sectionswhile the forward sections are relatively rigid. Both pairs of upper andlower puller point members are adjustable vertically relative to theframe I and also with respect to each other.

The points are so arranged that, in operation, the lower members 4I actupon the lower portions of the beets or other crop while the upperpuller members I6 operate quite close to the surface of the ground andact upon the upper portions of the beet, both sets of points beingadjusted laterally as well as vertically soas to act at about tendingshafts 24, each connected at its forward end by a universal joint 25 tothe associated rotatable section 29. Preferably, ,the shafts .24

are disposed just underneath an upwardly and rearwardly extendingconveyor or elevator 28' which at its forward'end is supported by a pairof straps 29 from the frame bars 2. The conveyor 28 includes an endlesschain 3| that is supported at its forward portion on rollers orsprockets carried by a transverse shaft member 32 journaled in the frontends of bars 33 forming the frame of the conveyor unit 28. The lower endof each of the straps 29 is bolted to the fortudinally extending beamsection 42 which is fastened together, by any suitable means, such'as abolt 43, and extends upwardly'and rearwardly and is attached to theharvester frame I in any The forward end of ,each' 'of the beam sections42 issha'ped'so as to receive a puller blade section 44. Each pullerblade section 44 is arranged ina forwardly diverging pothe same time onthe same beet or other crop. While the relatively deeper penetratingpoint members 4| tend to raise up a ridge or mass of soil at the sametime that the beet is liftedjthe upper point members I6, operatingclosely adjacent the surface of the ground, act to hold this upwardlyurged mass of soil down while, at the same time, acting upon the beet toimpart an upward movement thereto additional to that initially impartedby the lower points or blades 44. In this way, a tendency to form clodsin hard ground and to break up the ground into pieces about the samesize as the beets themselves is practically entirely eliminated. Thearrangement of the beet engaging and lifting members, their support fromtheframe I and the beetreceiving conveyor 28; are common in the severalforms of this invention, and hence the same reference numerals have beenemployed for identical parts in the several forms of this invention.

' According to the form of the inventionshown in Figure l,'a pair ofauxiliary beet engaging and lifting units are carried by the frame I ina p05 sition thereon ,toreceive the beets that are loosened and at leastpartially raised by the upper and lower pairs of lifter membersdescribed above. Since each of the two auxiliary lifting units shown inFigure 1 is substantially identical with the other, except for certainparts that may be right-jor left-hand, respectively, a detailed dering,nowto Figure '1 in which the left hand auxiliary beet-engaging andlifting unit is indicated by the "reference numeral 54,- the lattercomprises a rotatable member 5| comprising a plurality of bars 52 in theform of angle members secured, as by welding, at their forward ends to adisk 53 or similar member which is secured, as by welding, to theforward portion of a shaft 54 which extends generally longitudinally andat its forward end is supported for rotation in a journal 55 carried atthe lower end of a bar 56 which is connected at its upper end to ajournal member 51. The rear portion of the shaft 54 has a rear diskmember 59, secured thereto by welding or the like, and'the rear end ofthe shaft 54 is carried in a journal 6| that is secured to the rear endof alongitudinal bar 62 the for ward end of which is welded to the lowerend of the bar 56 and also to the lower end of abar 63 which extendsupwardly, generally parallel to the bar 56 and at its upper end isconnected toa journal member 65 rearwardly of the forward journal member51. The rear ends of'the-bars 52 are secured, as by welding; to the reardisk 59, and since the latter diskis' smaller than the forward disk '53,th ejb3;1fS" 52' and associated parts thus form a rearwardly taperedkicker wheel member which is in the formofa 'frusto-coni'cal' part ofsomewhat open construction, permitting fragments of soil and the liketo'drop therethrough. The upper journals 5'! and 65, connected to theupper ends of the bars-'56 and 63, are mounted on an upper shaft 6!which is supported for rotation in a pair of journal members 68 and 65,each of which is provided with an extension which is bolted to adepending portion of a'yoke member H. The yoke Ii-is secured to thelower end of a vertical shaft section 13 that is mounted for oscillatorymovement about a generally vertical axis in a vertically extending framestructure 14. The latter includes a pair of vertical bars 16 secured, asat H, to the frame I anda pair of cross bars 18 and 19 which are weldedor otherwise secured to the vertical bars 16, the transverse bars 18 and79 being apertured to receive the vertical shaft sections 13. Each ofthe latter carries a collar til at its upper end whereby each of theyokes I I and associated parts is supported for operation on theharvester frame 2. '7

- The forward end of each of the shafts 61 is connected by means of auniversal joint 83 to a driving shaft section 84, which referably butnot necessarily is in the form of a pair of telescopic shafts extendingforwardly to a point of connection with a suitable source of operatingpower. A sprocket 85 is fixed to the forward end of each of the shafts6'! and receives a'sprocket chain 85 which at its lower end is trainedover a lower sprocket member 8'! that is fixed to the lower or kickerwheel shaft 54, whereby'rotation of the driving shafts Mserves'to drivethe kicker wheels 5|. The frame structure 14 is reenforced by a pair ofbraces 89 which may be bolted to the frame bars IE5 and the main framebars 2. A bracket 92 is fixed to the lower cross bar 19 and at its rearend receives'a bracket 93 which is welded to a curved shield member 94that is disposed in an upwardly and rearwardly extending positiongenerally over the kicker wheels 5| and, at its forward end, fairlyclosely adjacent to, or between, the forward ends of the kicker wheels 5I. Being curved in a longitudinal vertical plane, any beets or othercrop thrown upwardly against the curved shield 94 will be directedrearwardly into the conveyor 23.

The operation of the harvester as described above is substantially asfollows:

The harvester is driven down a row of beets or other crop at such depthof operation that the lower points or lifting members 4! operate wellunder the ground surface so as to act on the lower portions of the beetswhile the upper lifter members l6 act on the upper portions of thebeets. The lower lifting members 41 are-disposed somewhat closertogether than the upper lifting members but extend rearwardly andupwardly at a somewhat greater angle, as shown in Figure 2, while theupper members 56 are disposed somewhat in a more nearly horizontalposition and slightly farther apart but also slightly in advance of thelower'lifters l-l. These relations have proven to be such that the upperand lower pairs of lifting members act upon the same beet at about thesame time while the major portion of the soil that is, mainly, loosenedby the lower lifter members 4|, passes'rearwardly overthe lower pointsbut is, held down by the upper members which operate closely adjacentthe ground surface. However; due, toi'the shape of the upper liftermembers, particularly their upper and laterally inwardlyfacings'for-wardfixed 6. portions and the rearward convergence thereof,the beets or other crop initially loosened and at least partially liftedby the lower lifter members are raised an additional amount by the upperlifter members while the latter function, as Mom-- said, to hold downthe greater proportion of the soil so as to prevent the latter beingthrown upwardly or broken up into portions aboutthe size of beets. Therear rotatable sections 20 of the upper lifter members are driven by therotation of the shafts 24, the latter being driven from any suitablesource of power, and, the rear rotatable sections 20 being rotated inthe direc tion of the arrows shown in Figure 3, it will be seen that asthe harvester progresses forwardly and each beet raised by therearwardly converging lifter members, the rotation of the rear rotatablesections 20 will act to impart-additional lifting action to the beets,whether they are the small beets that are engaged by the rear portionsof the rotatable parts 26 or the more forward portions thereof whichengage the larger beets, Also, during the progress of the machine, thesmaller or tail portions of the beets, even of 'the larger beets, willbe engaged by'the rotatable members 20 so that each beet is raisedin apositive upwardly directed motion sufficient to project them well abovethe adjacent fragments of the soil in the row.

The beets that are projected upwardly by the rotating sections 2!], or,in the case of the'larg'er beets, possibly by the for-wardmost sectionsH, are engaged by the rotatable kicker wheels 5| whereby a furtherraising or lifting action is imparted to the beets. As best shown inFigures I and-2, the shafts 54 are disposed in a rearwardly and slightlydownwardly converging relation. This places the lower bars 62 inapproximately a horizontal position. The bars 52 are spaced apart on thedisks 53 and 59 a distance suf ficient to accommodate the largest beets.Furthermore, and as shown in Figure 4, the kicker wheels 5! are operatedin'timed relation so that the bars 52 on one kicker wheel successivelycome into engagement or'registration with the corresponding bars on theother lncker wheel. The larger end of each of the kicker wheels El isdisposed forwardly so that, the forward portions of the bars 52 have asomewhat greater peripheral velocity than the rear portions, theportions having'the greater peripheral velocity being those portionswhich come into engagement with the larger beets, the smaller beetsbeing engaged principally by the more rearward portions of the bars 52.Elevating the larger beets a somewhat greater velocity than the smallerbeets insures that at least the major portion of even the larger beetswillbe lifted out of connection with the ground before the forwardtravel of the machine creates any tendency to push the larger beets overforwardly. Disposing the kicker wheels Si in a rearward and downwardposition brings the areas of contact between the rear portions of thebars: 52 and the smaller beets somewhat closer to the ground surface,and hence facilitates engage ment of even the smaller beets by thekicker wheels 5!. The latter members, being of cagelike oropenconstruction, cooperate with the upper pairs of lifter members it tobreak up any clods or soil fragments that might otherwise tend to: passinto the machine.

The two kicker wheels 5! are mounted foroscil-T lation about verticalaxes and for laterally inward and, outward swinging, by thesupportingmeans forthe yokes 1| described above. In order to insure. operatingcontact between the kicker wheels 5| and the beets, whether they arelarge or small, a spring 96 is connected to the portions of the yokes IIrearwardlyof their vertical axes 13. The Spring 96 thus tends to causethe rear portions of the kicker wheels to move toward one another,thereby preserving theforwardly diverging relation of these members.Further, and in order to insure swinging the kicker wheel supportingstructures, comprising the bars 56, 62 and 63, toward one another, aspring 9! is connected between the forward bars 56, as best shown inFigure 4, the springrthus tending to keep the kicker wheels 5| inpositions as close together as the beet or beets therebetween willpermit. It is to be noted that by virtue of this construction, thekicker wheels 5| will engage firmly and positively two beets that maysimultaneously be engaged therebetween, and this is true whether thebeets are of the same size or of different sizes and whether the rearbeet or the forward beet is larger. Secured to the bracket 92 is a pairof stops I6I against which the spring 96 tends to hold the rear portionsof the yokes II, and stops I63 are formed at the lower ends of dependingmembers I64 that are carried by the yokes II to cooperate with the rearbars 63 to limit the laterally inward swinging movement of the kickerwheels 5|. These latter stops are omitted from Figure l in the interestof clarity but are shown in Figure 4.

In Figure 5 a somewhat different form of auxiliary beet lifting unit isshown. As mentioned above, the form of the invention shown in Figure 5includes the same construction so far as the frame and the upper andlower pairs of lifting members are concerned. Referring now to Figure 5,the auxiliary beet lifting mechanism is indicated in its entirety by thereference numeral H and comprises a pair of endless chain units I I Iand I I2. These units are substantially identical and hence adescription of one of them will suflice. However, certain parts are maderight hand or left hand as necessary. In this form of the invention, themain frame I is provided with a pair of upstanding bars H and H6suitably secured to the bars 2 in any suitable manner. A relativelyheavy cross bar in the form of a yoke I I1 is secured, as by bolts I I8,to the vertical bars H5 and H6. Welded to the cross bar II! is a pair ofdownwardly and rearwardly extending brackets I2 I, the rear ends ofwhich are apertured to receive bolts I23. Secured to each of thebrackets I2I by a cooperating attaching bracket I24 is a generallyvertically disposed curved channel member I25. By virtue of theaforesaid brackets I2I and I24, the two curvedchannels I25 are rigidlyfixed to the frame of the harvester in substantially vertical positions.A pair of rear channel members I26 are provided and are respectivelyconnected rigidly to the associated forward channels I25 through'rigidpipe or bar members I2! and I28. The flanges I29 of the forward channelsI25 face rearwardly while the flanges of the rear channels I26 faceforwardly, the two curved channels beingconnected together by themembers I2! and I28 inconcentric relation. A pair of upper journals I3Iand I32 are supported on the front and rear channels I25 and I26 bybrackets I33 and I34 which are fixed to the associated channels rigidly,as by welding ortlie like. The rear brackets I34 are connected togetherbya reenforcing yoke member-I31. The latter member cooperates with thefront brackets I2I in' maintai'ning the generally Vertically arlateraldisplacement. A shaft I39 is journaledfor rotation in each pair ofjournals I3I, I32 and at its forwardend each shaft I39 is connected by auniversal joint II, with a driving shaft I42, the shafts I42 beingconnected in any suitable manner to a source of power. Sprockets I44 andI45 are fixed to the front and rear portions of each of the drivingshafts'I 39, and the forward sprocket I44 is appreciably larger than therear sprock et I45.

The lower end of each of the channels I25 and I26 is provided with ajournal section I5I in which a lower shaft I52 is mounted for rotation.Forward and rear rollers I53 and I54 are mounted on the shaft I52, therollers being fixed to the shaft I52 if desired, or the shaft I52 may bearrangedto rotatably receive the rollers I53 and I54, in which case theshaft I52 need not rotate.

A pair of endless chains, indicated at I6I and I62, are mounted on thesprockets I44 and I45 and the rollers I53 and I54. Each of the chainsI6! and I62 is made up of a plurality of generally longitudinallyextending bars I64 and interconnecting sections I65 and I66 at the endsof the bars I64. The forward interconnecting sections I65 are longerthan the rearward interconnecting sections I66 so that, in effect, eachchainis curved or, when laid out as a. development, is a part of aconical surface. The forward interconnecting sections I65 are adapted toride along the forward edges of the channels I25, and these membersbeing curved serve as guides for main-. taining the chains I6I and I62in a curved posi-- tion. Clips I68 are provided and are fastened to thefront'channels I25 over the forward edges of the chains so as to holdthem in position. Soil disintegrating toothed members I'II' are fixed toselected teeth, these members being in the form of notched strips weldedor otherwise fixed to the bars or certain of the bars I64.

The operation of this form of the invention is substantially as follows.The endless chain units I II and H2 are mounted on the harvester so.that the lower portions of the two chains operate around the rollers I53and I54 in substantially horizontal positions and about axes defined bythe lower shafts I52. The chains I6I and I62 are driven by the sprocketsI44 and I45, and from Figure 5 it will be seen that the chains I6I andI62 occupy a curvedposition with the links or bars I64 generally radial.Hence, the forwardmost portions of the chains operate at a greaterperipheral speed than the rear portions, it being remembered that therear sprocket I45 is smaller than the front sprocket I44 and the rearroller I54 smaller than the forward roller I53. The front and rearchannels I25 and I26 are so disposed that the endless chains, in effect,lie-in forwardly diverging generally vertical planes. Hence, the largerbeets or other crop are, engaged by those portions of the endless chainswhich operate at the greater peripheral speeds. Hence, thelarger beetsare rapidly disengaged from the ground so that there is no tendency forthe continued forward travel of the implement to overturn the largerbeets forwardly. Moreover, the curved construction of the auxiliarylifting chains I BI and I62 tends 'not only to'lift the beets but alsoto direct them rearwardly so that they are delivered into the conveyor28. This is about the same action as is provided'by the frusto-conicalor cage-like kicker wheels 5I'describedabove; If" desired, one' of thechains I 6I and I62 may be driven at a speed difierent from the speed ofmovement of the other chain, or one of the chains may be heldsubstantially stationary while the other chain is driven, thereby providing somewhat greater agitation forsoil dislodg.- 'ing and other purposesthan where the two chains I6]. and IE2. are rotated at the same speed.'The cross bar ill carries a shield H which extends generally in frontof the curved chains and tends to prevent any beets from falling outfrom beitween the chains in aforward direction. Also,

'while the endless chain elements have been shown as carried by arigidly mounted framework, it will be understood that the endless chainsmight, if desired, be mounted upon oscillatable and laterally swingablestructures, such as that shown in Figure 1 in connection with the kickerwheels 5|.

A third form of the present invention is shown in Figure 6 in which thehorizontally disposed kicker wheels 5d are. in effect, replaced by apair of kicker wheels 2M which are mounted for rotation substantiallyabout generally vertically extending axes. Referring now to Figured,each of the kicker wheels ZEN comprises a cage-like structure fixed tothe lower end of a generally vertically arranged shaft 292. The upperend of each of the shafts 202 is mounted for rotation in a laterallyswingable bracket member 293, and the upper portion of each bracketmember 233 is mounted for lateral swinging on a shaft 2%, t

the shafts 284 being by suitable journals carried bracket members 2 33are held against outward swinging by yielding spring means 2 l5, whichincludes a pair of springs connected at their outer ends to the brackets203 and at their inner ends to a stud 2 l 6 that is carried in anysuitable manner on the frame of the harvester. The upper end of each ofthe shafts 2E2 carries a bevel gear 2I8 which meshes with a companionbevel gear 219 on the associated horizontal shaft 264. Thus, the kickerwheel shafts 232 are rotated by the shafts 2M. Beets or other croploosened from the ground and raised at least partially by the upper andlower pairs of lifting members I6 and M are engaged by the rotatablekicker wheels 20! and projected generally upwardly and rearwardly to theconveyor 28..

Figure 7 shows a modified form of the present invention which preventsbeets or other crop from being overturned. Under some conditions theremay be an appreciable tendency for the beets or crop to be pushed oyerforwardly by the lifting members or points, and in order to providemeans to hold the beets substantially upright we provide a rotatablewheel 230 having lugs 23! or other suitable means. thereon facilitatingthe action of the wheel on the beets. The wheel ass is rotated in thedirection of the arrow shown in Figure 7. The wheel 23!) is mounted on ashaft 23s which is journaled for rotation in a frame 235 preferablyconsisting of two pairs of straps 2.36: and 231 adjustably connectedtogether, asby bolt and slot means 238; The strap sections 237 areconnected rigidly together by across member 239 welded thereto.- Theforward -portions of the straps 23? areapertured and mounted on .a crossshaft 2241 supported in a selected pair of openings formed in a pair oflugs 243 the-tare secured, as by welding, to the horizontal portions 'ofthe standards I I, it being understood that the indicated in Figure '7by the same numerals employed in Figure 2 for the same parts. A sprocket(not shown) is mounted on the shaft and is fixed to the wheel 23% in anysuitable way, as by being fixed to the shaft 23% to which the wheel 23sis fixed. The sprocket just mentioned receives a driving chain 2% whichat its forward end is trained over a double sprocket member 251 whichalso receives a driving chain 2 connected in any suitable way with themotor or other means which drives the other harvester mechanism.

The wheel 230 may be disposed in different positions fore and aft eitherby suitably adjusting the rear straps 236 relative to the forward straps231, or by positioning the shaft MI in different sets of openings in thelugs 243, or both, as desired. Normally, the wheel is urged downwardlyby resilient means which may take the form of a :pressure spring 25Idisposed about a pressure rod 252 that extends downwardly and carries acollar 254 which receives the lower end of the spring 25L The lower endof the rod 252 is pivoted to the frame 235 in any suitable way, as bybeing connected to the cross member 239.

In operation, this form of the invention provides meansto prevent thebeets from being overturned forwardly. The wheel 230 is driven in thedirection of the arrow and acts upon the beets, particularly the largerbeets, to maintain the beets upright as the forward points It raise thebeets from the mass of soil passing between the upper and lower pointsor lifting members through the space 3. By virtue of the spring coninection HI and associated parts, the wheel 230 may rise and fall, asnecessary, to permit the wheel to pass over the beets, especially thelarger ones. The auxiliary lifting members 5| are spaced aparta distancesuflicient to receive the wheel 230, which is relatively narrow,therebetween.

While we have shown and described above the preferred structure in whichthe principles of the present invention have been incorporated, it is tobe understood that our invention is not to be limited to the particulardetails, shown and described above, but that, in fact, widely differentmeans may be employed in the practice of the broader aspects of ourinvention.

What we claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a beet lifter, a frame, two separat ground penetrating liftingmeans disposed in generally vertically spaced relation, said liftingmeans ineluding a lower pair of ground-penetrating point members and anupper pair of ground-penetrating point members arranged substantiallydirectly above the lower point members with a laterally extendingunobstructed space therebetween, said lower lifting means adapted toloosen theso-il about a beet or other crop, and the upper lifting means,comprising substantially horizonal forwardly diverging members disposedsubstantially directly above and spaced apart a distance at theirforward ends greater than the spacing between the lower lifting meansand serving to not only lift the beet or other crop but also to engagethe soil passing between the upper and lower lifting means and hold thesoil from being forcedupwardly with the beet or other crop, and

11' means carried by said frame for holdingsaid upper and lower liftingmeans in said vertically spaced relation.

2. In a lifter for beets or the like, a frame, lifting means adapted toloosen the soil and at least partially raise the beets or other crop,means for supporting said lifting means on said frame, driven cropengaging means disposed substantially directly above the best engagingportionsof said lifting means, said crop'engaging means having portionsoperating at different peripheral speeds, and means connected with saidframe for carrying said beet engaging means in such position relative tosaid lifting means and longitudinally of said frame that both thelifting means and the driven crop engaging means operate below theground and the portions moving at the greater speeds normally engage thelarger beets or other crop.

3. In a harvester for beets or the like, a crop an open space betweensaid upper and lower lifting-members to accommodate a flow of soiltherebetween, and a pair of crop-engaging parts mounted substantiallyabove the rotatable portions of said upper lifting members and includinglaterally spaced apart members rotatable about laterally spacedgenerally longitudinally extending axes lying approximately parallel toand closely adjacent the associated rotatably mounted :parts of saidupper ground penetrating lifting members and substantially directlyabove the latter.

4. in a. harvester for beets or the like, a mobile support, generallydownwardlyand forwardly disposed crop engaging means'adapted topenetrate the ground and lift the beets or other crop, means I carriedby said support above said crop engaging means for grasping andelevating partially lifted beets or other crop, comprising a pluralityof crop engaging bars positioned to operate adjacent the ground surfaceand to move in that position about a generally horizontal axes, thefront ends of the bars moving through a path of movement greater thanthe path of movement through which the rear ends of said ibars move andmeans connecting the front and rear ends of saidbars together 'to form apair of substantially endlesschains 5. In a harvester for beets and thelike, upwardly and rearwardly disposed relatively fixed lifting membersengageable with the beets or the like for lifting them, and cropengaging means disposed above said lifting members and comprising aseries of generally longitudinally ex tending bars movable adjacentthebeet or other crop about a substantially horizontal axis for en erallyupwardly away from said lifting members, said bars being arranged in twosets and each set of bars forming a vertically positioned endless belt.

6. In a harvester for beets or the like, a mobile support, beet liftingmeans carried thereby for loosening the beets or other crop and liftingthem at least partially, a pair of shafts carried by said mobile frameadjacent the ground surface and substantially in a horizontal positiondiverging forwardly, an upper pair of shafts also diverging gaging thebeet or other crop and moving it gen- 12 forwardly but arranged on axesextending down-'- wardly and rearwardly, sprockets mounted on saidshafts in spaced relation, and a pair of beet engaging and liftingchains carried by said shafts, said lifting chains being adapted toengage a beet or other crop therebetween and directed upwardly andrearwardly. V

'7. In a harvester for beets and the like, a mobile support, liftingmeans carried thereby'for loosening the ground and at least .partiallyraising the beets or other crop, means comprising a pair of endless:belts disposed generally in a vertical position and spaced so as toengage and complete the lifting of the beets or other crop, and meanscarried by the harvester and connected with at least one of said beltsso as to operate one of said belts at a rate different from the otherwhereby to agitate the beet or other crop and free the same of adheringsoil and the like.

8. In a harvester for beets or the like, a mobile support, lifting meanscarried thereby and adapted to loosen the soil and at least partiallyraise the beets or other crop, and a pair of generally verticallydisposed endless chains having links arranged generally longitudinallyand driven to engage the beets or other crop lifted by said liftingmeans, certain of said links having teeth acting to disintegrate clods,adhering soil, or the like.

9. An endless chain adapted to operate in a curved position, comprisinggenerally radially arranged cross links, means connecting the ends ofsaid cross links at one side of the chain, means connecting the ends ofthe cross links at the other side of said chain, one of said connectingmeans being shorter than the other, rotatable means supporting oppositeportions of said chain including rotatable members, certain of saidrotatable members being larger than the other or others and the largerrotatable members receiving the side portion of said chain having thelonger connecting means, and curved guides between said rotatablemembers for supporting said chain in a curved position.

10. In a beet harvester, beet digging and lifting means comprising aframe, a pair of lower beet-engaging ground penetrating points, meansfixedly connecting said lower points to said frame, an upper pair ofbeet-engaging ground penetrating points fixedly connected with saidframe and disposed above the levelof the lower points with a relativelyunobstructed space extending laterally and longitudinally between thegenerally horizontal planes of said upper and lower points, a pair ofrotatable beet-engaging members carried by said frame substantially atthe level of and with their forward ends substantially directly behindsaid upper fixed points, means for driving said rotatable members, andbeet-engaging trans? fer means carried by the frame substantially di-,rectly above the rotatable beet-engaging members.

11. The invention set forth in claim l0, further characterized by saidupper fixed points being spaced farther apart laterally at their forwardportions than said lower fixed points at their forward ends.

12. The invention set forth in claim 11, further characterized by aconveyor carried by said frame and extending downwardly and forwardly toa point substantially directly behind the rear portions of saidrotatable members and positioned generally below said beet transfermeans so as to receive beets therefrom.

13. In a harvester for beets or other crops, a mobile support, twoseparate ground entering crop lifting means disposed one above theother, one comprising an upper set of point members and the othercomprising a lower set of point members disposed substantially directlyunderneath the upper point members, each of said upper point membershaving a rotatable beet engaging means movable about an axis of rotationextending generally longitudinally of the harvester, said rotatable beetengaging means being spaced apart generally laterally, means for sup-.porting said upper and lower point members in vertically separatedrelation on said mobile support so that there is an unobstructed spaceeX- tending laterally of the harvester between the rotatable beetengaging means and the forward portions of said lower point members, andmeans for driving said rotatable beet engaging means.

CLAUDE W. WALZ. HOWARD F. CLAUSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

Number Number 14 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Sullivan Mar. 13, 1906Jensen July 7, 1914 Lahti Jan. 5, 1915 Moore June 8, 1915 Hermann Apr.1, 1919 Honsinger Nov. 21, 1922 Ricks Jan. 8, 1924 Flint Jan. 5, 1926Kopitke May 1, 1928 Fechtner Feb. 23, 1937 Flintjer Sept. 29, 1942Tramontini Apr. 11, 1944 Tramontini Oct. 2, 1945 Christiansen Apr. 8,1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Denmark Aug. 16, 1926

